Yes, it is late July, but it has been anything but typical as we have seen some of the coolest temperatures on record and a good number of folks already have hunting season on their mind.

Dove season is quickly approaching. I know a few hunters who have taken advantage of the cool weather by doing a little squirrel hunting which opened on May 15 and stays open until the end of Feb.

July is normally a month of tremendous heat and a few days spent thinking about getting ready for the upcoming season, but this year a lot of those preseason activities are already in full swing.

Record numbers of deer were taken in 2013-14 and this year’s crop looks to be even stronger. Currently, Arkansas has its best deer population ever and the outlook for this year is a bright one.

Hunters throughout the Arkansas River Valley usually start fairly early practicing their shooting skills and fine tuning their bows. Bow season in Arkansas is one of the most rapidly growing hunting seasons with more and more people becoming involved each year.

Food plots for deer have become a major necessity as they not only attract game to your hunting spot, but they also attract game to a certain area or region.

Hunting and game management has taken a big step forward over the last few years with more and more hunters managing their wildlife and with the help of the AGFC and other organizations, game management has now become big business.

Game cameras have become a partner and a tool for many hunters who enjoy seeing their game almost as much as they do harvesting it. Game cameras will definitely give you a good picture of the inhabitants of your food plot and also increase your anticipation level and have you looking forward to fall.Since putting out my first camera over 12 years ago, I have enjoyed all the incredible pictures and images of every kind of wildlife imaginable. I anticipate and look forward to viewing my pictures almost as much as I do actually hunting.

There are all types of forums and places to view incredible wildlife photos, but personally I send most of mine to Mrs. Betty Renfroe, my friend and former colleague, who hosts a blog on her Galla Creek Kennels website and gets pictures from several different sources.

Generally, dove season is the event that marks the beginning of the hunting season in Arkansas and attracts a good number of hunters the opening weekend. However, for the majority of folks it is an excuse to get in the field and do a little shooting and spend some quality time enjoying the great outdoors. Heat will still be a problem in early September, but most hunters can’t wait to get out and get a little shooting in.

There does seem to be some birds already in the area, but keeping them here until the season opens has always been a challenge. Dove hunters often spend more time shooting skeet than they do shooting doves, which could be because they are a lot easier to hit than doves darting across a field. The real fun is when there are a good number of doves in the region and you get to test your true shooting abilities.

There are some folks who are passionate about hunting doves and spend lots of time hunting birds during the month of September. Doves definitely test a shooters skill and are a lot of fun when they are coming in large numbers. Last year’s hunt was one of the better ones in recent years and the outlook for this year is good as well.

Other seasons opening next month include crow, rabbit and coyote season, which all run through February.

Hunting season will most definitely be here before you know it, so take advantage of some of this unseasonable weather and start preparing, because August and September might end up being hot and dry.